Sometimes
it is hard to trace a recipe's origin. Take the Red Velvet Cake. There are many
theories; some say it comes from the South, others say it originated in the
North. But in actual fact all we really know is that it has been a favorite for
decades, not only in the States but also in Canada. It is a very dramatic
looking cake with its unusual bright red color that is sharply contrasted by a
creamy white frosting. A Red Velvet Cake is really a Devil's Food Cake that
has red food coloring added to it. John Mariani tells us in his book "The
Dictionary of American Food and Drink" that the name 'Devil's Food Cake' is so
called "because it is supposedly so rich and delicious that it must, to a
moralist, be somewhat sinful."
If we look beyond the striking appearance of this cake, we will find that
it has a mild chocolate flavor with a moist and
tender crumb. The mild chocolate flavor comes from adding a small amount
of cocoa powder to the batter and the moist and tender crumb is obtained
by adding buttermilk. If you
are not familiar with buttermilk it has a nice thick creamy texture with a rich
tangy buttery taste that makes baked goods tender.
Whereas in the past buttermilk was made from the liquid left over after churning butter, it is now
commercially made by adding a bacteria to whole, skim, or low fat milk. You can make your own buttermilk by
adding 1 tablespoon of white distilled vinegar, cider vinegar, or lemon juice to
1 cup (240 ml) of milk. Let this mixture stand 5 to 10 minutes before using.
Once the cake layers have been baked and cooled, I find it is best to
place them in the refrigerator or freezer (for at least an hour) before
frosting. This extra step makes the spreading of the frosting a much
easier task as a freshly baked cake is quite fragile and when you try to spread
the frosting there is a tendency for the cake to tear. Refrigerating or freezing the cake
first eliminates this
problem. In fact, you may want to bake the cakes the day before you need
them and then you can just place the cakes in the fridge overnight to firm
up. The type of frosting used on a Red Velvet Cake can
vary. While I have used a Cream Cheese
Frosting, other recipes often call for a 7-Minute Frosting or even a White
Confectioners Frosting. Recently I found a new cream cheese frosting that I
like very much and I have included it here. It still uses cream cheese but
it also contains mascarpone cheese, which is an Italian cheese that is thick, buttery-rich,
delicately sweet
and velvety, ivory-colored cheese produced from cow's milk. Its texture is
similar to that of sour cream. It is sold in plastic 8-ounce tubs and you can usually find it in
specialty food stores or look in the deli section of your local grocery store. If you cannot find Mascarpone
just use regular cream cheese instead. Besides the cream cheese and
mascarpone, this frosting also contains whipped cream so you end up with a
flavorful, soft and creamy frosting. The frosting recipe is adapted
from 'The Waldorf-Astoria Cookbook' by John Doherty.
Red Velvet Cake:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and place
rack in center of oven. Butter two - 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pans and
line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl
sift together the flour, baking powder, salt,
and cocoa powder. Set aside.
In bowl of
your electric
mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add the sugar
and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a
time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
In a measuring cup
whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. With the mixer on low
speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk, in three additions,
beginning and ending with the flour.
In a small cup
combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then
quickly fold into the cake batter.
Working quickly, divide the batter
evenly between the
two prepared pans
and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 - 30
minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out
clean.
Cool the
cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Place a wire rack on top of
the cake pan and invert, lifting off the pan. Once the cakes have completely
cooled, wrap in plastic and place the cake layers in the freezer for at least an
hour. (This is done to make filling and frosting the cakes easier.)
Cream Cheese
Frosting: In your food processor, or with a hand mixer, process the cream
cheese and mascarpone cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and confectioners
sugar and process until smooth. Transfer this mixture to a large mixing bowl.
Then, in the bowl
of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks
form. With a large spatula, gently but quickly fold a little of the whipped cream into the cream cheese
mixture to lighten it. Then fold in the remaining whipped cream, in two stages. Cover and place the frosting in the refrigerator for an hour or two, or
until it is firm enough to spread.
Assemble: With a serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half, horizontally. You will
now have four cake layers. Place one of the cake layers, top of the cake
facing down, onto your serving platter. Spread the cake layer with a layer of frosting. Place another layer of cake on top of the frosting
and continue to frost and stack the cake layers. Frost the top and sides of
the cake. Can garnish the cake with sweetened or unsweetened coconut.
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